From a Certain Point of View
by All4thebasilisk
Summary: Yes, Seigaku won the Kantou, and you're all probably very happy for them, but there are always two sides to a story... the winner's... and the loser's. Our story... Rikkaidai's.
1. The Champions Introduced

"Forty-fifteen," the referee, aka Yanagi Renji, announced.

Sanada closed his eyes and sensed the ball nearing his racket. He visualized the sword he used at his grandfather's dojo in his hand, then swung the racket with easy skill.

Across the court, his red-eyed opponent gaped as the ball appeared to vanish, then reappeared behind him.

"Game and set, Sanada, six games to two," Yanagi announced, smiling at his friend. The team had just been listed for this year, and as expected, the two had made it, along with quite a few talented others.

Sanada stepped up to the net. "Good game," he told the other player, not only being gracious. It was very difficult to get that many games on him, and he knew it. Especially if the other player was a year younger. Yukimura had chosen the new team well.

Kirihara Akaya scowled. "Yeah, for you."

Sanada shook his head. "You're relatively good. I'd say that only Yukimura, Yanagi, and I are better than you, although I don't know most of the others' skills well."

Akaya shrugged. "I'll be better than you two by the end of the year, then," he said confidently.

Someone laughed from behind Sanada. "You're pretty confident for a grade 2," a voice Sanada knew well snickered. Sanada shook his head and turned to face Marui Bunta. Marui hadn't been on the team last year, but Sanada knew him well from his battle to make the team this year. Actually, Sanada had helped him with a simple suggestion- maximize energy. Now, Marui would play for Rikkaidai.

"I'm allowed to be confident," Akaya rolled his eeyes. "I'm good."

"Of course you are," a Brazilian boy with a shaved head said encouragingly. His name was Jackal Kuwabara, and he was fairly new to the school, just having moved a few months before. He had apparently taken Akaya under his wing, but Sanada barely knew him.

"Why? Because he's Rikkaidai?" suggested another boy who had just approached. This boy lived just a block away from Sanada, but he barely knew the boy. His name was Niou Masaharu, and despite his amazing "reading" abilities in tennis, Sanada doubted that he would have made the team if not for his doubles partner, tall and purple-haired Yagyuu Hiroshi, a former golf player whom Niou had sold onto tennis. He was actually an old friend of Sanada's from elementary school, and remembering how he played, Sanada wondered if what he had told Akaya about who was best was really accurate.

"That's good enough a reason," smiled Yukimura, or Yuki, as most of the team called him. He was captain to Sanada's fukobuchou, and had been playing with Sanada for years. "Champion's pride means we'll win again this year!"

There was a lot of nodding at that. Akaya looked like he was going to cheer, but thought better of it, since his senpais were not.

"Our first game is this Saturday," Yuki announced. "We'll be playing Kishimoto, Hirogen, and then probably Chisanaki." It was generally easy to predict who'd win each game. "None of them are very good teams, so it'll be easy sailing." He winked at Sanada. "Sanada and I are going to have some fun with the lineup…"

Sanada, being who he was, simply nodded. But inside, he was bored. These games were just stepping-stones to Rikkaidai's next champion title. After all, they were invincible. They were Rikkaidai…

A/N: I know it's short, but I'm being kicked off the computer. Anyway, this is Rikkaidai, as close to the script as possible. I didn't watch the "Atobe Kara no Okurimono" movie, though, and if anyone knows of anything mentioned about Rikkaidai's players in it, please tell me when reviewing! I'm also trying to keep this mostly English- I remember how hard it was to understand some fics before I learned Japanese. I'm not officially pairing anyone up- you can interpret things as you wish…

Some Questions:

Does Rikkaidai have a coach? Kirihara seems to be talking to one in the episode where he "visits" Seigaku, but that could've been anyone. If they do have a coach, what's his/her name?

What's with the Niou-Yagyuu switcheroo thing? I've read a few fics where they switch places, so I'm inclined to believe that it's a fact, but I don't quite understand it.

Lastly, in which area is Jyousei Shounan? I need to know if they're anywhere near Rikkaidai..

If anyone can answer these questions, please tell me while reviewing!


	2. Yuki and Sanada

A/N: Just a little one, to keep the story flowing.

Yuki laughed. "How about pairing up the rookie for Doubles? Or putting him on reserve? He's very cocky."

"Kirihara isn't bad, though," Sanada pointed out. "He's entitled to be cocky."

"Kind of like that boy from the Junior Invitational Camp last year- Atobe Keigo? Remember when he played us in the Kantou tournament? He was only a second-year, but still had his whole school cheering his name." Yuki laughed. That had been quite a show, and seeing as he had been relegated to Doubles for that game, he had rather enjoyed seeing his own senpai crushed by Atobe.

Sanada nodded curtly. "Are we keeping the usual lineup?"

Yuki sighed. Sanada was so serious sometimes. "I don't think so. Hey, wanna play doubles with Akaya?"

"Jackal would be a better choice," Sanada argued.

"Done.' Yuki filled it in. "I know that Marui would like to play Singles, and later on, he may not be able to. I'll give it to him now.

"You're the captain," Sanada said doubtfully. They both knew the importance of showing a strong front for the first game.

"I have faith in Marui. He _has_ conquered his stamina problem, and he's good enough to take on most players, let alone Kishimoto," Yuki told him confidently. "I'll put you with Yanagi for Doubles One, Yagyuu will play Singles Two, and I'll play Singles One, hmm?"

"Not a bad lineup," Sanada acknowledged, getting up to go. "Ja."

"Sayonara!" Yuki called after his friend's retreating form. Sanada was so cold sometimes, and acted too serious for even an adult. Last year, they had nicknamed him "Coach" and nearly everyone still called him that. Even when he had lost his first public game to one Tezuka Kunimitsu, he hadn't shown an emotion. Yuki worried about him sometimes.

Yuki himself was not at all serious. He would mask acerbic remarks with a quiet and composed voice, and a smile always danced in his eyes. Life was good and fun, and he saw no reason not to enjoy it.

Especially not now, his last year in middle school. He was class president and editor of the yearbook. Not only that, he was well liked, popular, and had snatched the captain position in Rikkaidai with a charisma that had never failed. Life had never been better. Aside from the occasional headache…


End file.
